Mixed Bean and Winter Squash Stew with Fresh Basil

This is one of those great recipes you can make in bulk and tuck a few portions in the freezer. I use my slow cooker for the beans and do spice it up a bit, adding aleppo pepper and a bit more garlic and salt. I don't soak the beans--I discovered that beans cooked slowly and on low or medium heat in the crockpot are lovely and creamy and so easy so I do all my beans that way. For this dish, I used a combo of kidney and cannellini beans and tucked a couple of bay leaves in with the beans at the start. I had some anchovies on hand and so added one or two to the pan when I was heating the oil---they dissolved and added a nice layer of flavor without any fish taste. Of course, that meant the dish was no longer vegetarian.